A newsletter of simple ideas #1 -- May 1998

Welcome

You have in your hands the first issue of Reasonably Simple. My name is Michael Coffey, and this newsletter is the combination of a number of elements that seem to have tied themselves together in my life. This is the history of those events.

The idea for RS came over the course of several weeks. I've been doing reading on living simply, saving money, helping the environment, and several other related topics.

Meanwhile, I was getting rid of a bunch of stuff that I no longer needed. My friend Laura was doing the same thing, so we decided to take a trip to the Chicken Soup Brigade Thrift Store to drop off the usable items. On our way, though, we each noticed something in the others' pile that we wanted. So we went through them and each brought something “new” home.

One evening a few weeks ago, my study circle on Voluntary Simplicity discussed how to break the cycle of consumerism. The task I set for myself was t ocome up with two lists: one of items I don't want or need, and one of items I wanted. I collected similar lists from the other members, and compiled a “trade list.”

In my readings, I came across information about groups who swap services as well. So I added two more lists: services offered and services wanted.

The first copy of the lists had 10 items or services offered and 11 items or services wanted. However, from those 21 listings, a match was made, and my friend Laura got a better garlic press than she'd expected--for free.

So the Free Market was born. But it only really filled up one side of the page and it seemed a shame to waste that other side. Then it struck me--the simplicity stuff that I'd read focused primarily on two groups: the Hardcore and the Downshifters.

The Hardcore are those who might be called “radicals” by mainstream society. They might build their own house in a remote area and grow all of their own food using organic methods. The Downshifters are on the other end--generally Yuppies who have sold off expensive and unneeded cars, boats, and houses, saving themselves money, time, and worry.

I'm in the middle. While both sides had useful and interesting things to learn, the bits that I could apply to my own life appeared sporadically. So Reasonably Simple was born.

In this newsletter, I will attempt to cover ideas for a shade of simplicity somewhere between the Hardcore and the Downshifters. It will be for people who can't (or don't want to) make a dramatic change in their lifestyle, but still ease into a simpler life. The tentative, the curious, and the enthusiastic beginners; the I-was-never-into-consumerism folks, the students, and the frustrated with just “getting by”; these will be the people that RS will help.

This issue, being the premier, doesn't have much but me rambling on. In future issues, I hope to have personal accounts and success stories of those trying to simplify; a Q&A or other forum for reader input; an area for quotes or book reviews; a tips section to give people ideas; and who knows what else. If there's something you want to see, tell me.

Also, the Free Market section works best when there are lots of people offering and wanting a variety of things. So if you know people interested in simplicity, or just getting things for free, sign 'em up for the newsletter!

My contact information: